Tibetan and Himalayan Library - THL

The Schedule of Debating Institutions

The importance of debate in the GelukDge lugs tradition should by now be quite clear. Our investigation is far
from complete, however, for we have yet to examine its practical modalities—the
schedule that structures such a practice and the ways it was organized. In discussing
the schedule of the three GelukDge lugs seats [GandenDga’ ldan, SeraSe ra and Drepung’Bras spungs, JIC], we need to
recognize the differences between premodern Tibet
and exile. The fundamental distinction drawn in Tibet between debate sessions
(chötokchos thog)
and debate breaks (chötsamchos mtshams) is less marked
in exile. In Tibet, there were eight debate sessions in the year, which alternated
with eight breaks.56 During the sessions, students debated; during the breaks, they memorized and studied commentaries
with their teachers. Five sessions
would last one month, and three a fortnight, while seven of the eight breaks lasted from five to fifteen
days; the great debate break during summer
retreat lasted a month and a half. The rest of the time was apportioned to a variety
of celebrations, such as the New Year and the Great Prayer festival. Each of the debate sessions had prescribed topics that students had
to cover.57

An exact pre-1959 schedule is hard to reconstruct, for few Tibetan monks then had watches. Hence, accounts tend to be vague.
Moreover, the precise times of activities may have also been influenced by various
circumstances (the season, festivities, etc.). Nevertheless, Geshé Rabten offers the following schedule for debate
sessions in the JéByes monastery of SeraSe ra:58

5:30-7:00

General assembly

7:00-10:00

Morning debate

10:00-11:00

Monastery assembly

11:00-13:00

Noon debate

13:00-13:30

Lunch

14:00-16:00

Afternoon debate

16:00-17:00

Evening assembly

17:00-19:00

Evening prayer and short debate

19:00-20:00

Teaching

20:30-21:30

Night debate

22:00-23:00

Recitation

Though the schedule in other monasteries was probably slightly different, its rhythm
was similar, as debate alternated with ritual. Monks would start the day with the
morning prayer in the great assembly
hall (tsokchentshogs chen) of the monastic seat (here SeraSe ra), where
they would pray and receive tea (hence the name of this prayer, mangjadmangs ja: i.e., “common tea”). Rich sponsors might provide food
and money. After that, they alternated debates and more prayer sessions. At noon,
they would go to the assembly hall of the monastery (here JéByes). There they were given
tea—and perhaps food and money, if the donor was generous. If there was a sponsor, an
assembly would be held in the evening. Otherwise, monks had to provide for their own
evening tea and food (if they ate).59 After the
evening assembly, the evening prayer took place. This ritual usually
lasted at least two hours, as long as or even longer than the evening debates. The
night then went on with debate, classes, and recitations.60

This is only,
however, the skeleton in which many other events were integrated. For example, the Great Summer Debate Session at Sera JéSe ra byes would last from 5.16 to 6.15. During this time,
many events took place:

5.16-17

Formal debates during the period of wood begging
(shinglongshing slong; i.e., the period during which monks would have been allowed to leave the
monastery to beg for wood and other necessities)